Wande Coal

Early life

Wande Coal was born on 18 October 1985 in Lagos Island, Lagos state, Nigeria, to Chief Ibukun Olufunto and Omolara Oluwayemisi Ojosipe. He is the first of two children.

Education

Wande Coal began his primary school education at Staff Nursery and Primary School Ijanikin, Lagos State, and later attended Federal Government College ijanikin Lagos in Lagos State, for his secondary school education. He then proceeded to The University of Lagos (Unilag), Lagos State, where he studied Human Kinetics.

Career

Wande Coal started singing in the teenage choir at his church. He later worked as a dancer and was introduced to Mo' Hits Records in 2006 after performing at a campus event at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) attended by D'banj and Don Jazzy, who contacted him the next day and signed him to the label. He initially served as a backup singer for D'banj, providing vocals on songs such as "Loke" and "Tono Sibe", and later performed with the label’s live band. Coal appeared on most tracks on Mo' Hits' compilation album Curriculum Vitae (2007), after which work began on his debut studio album Mushin 2 Mo' Hits (2009).

Wande Coal's "You Bad" single won the award for Best Pop Single at the 2010 edition of Hip Hop World Awards, which was also nominated for Song of the Year. His debut album also won the award for Best R&B/Pop Album and Album of the Year. Receiving a nomination for Best Vocal Performance (Male) for his song "Bananas" at the event, he won the awards for Artiste of the Year and Revelation of the Year. He won the African Artiste of the Year category at the Ghana Music Awards in 2010.

2012–2015

Coal has also recorded tracks with other Nigerian artists, including Ikechukwu, Phyno, Davido, Naeto C, Dr SID, D'Prince, Wizkid and many other artists. In 2012, following a fallout between record label executives Don Jazzy and D'banj, Coal, Dr SID and D'Prince signed on to Don Jazzy's new Record Label Mavin Records with the addition of Tiwa Savage from 323 Entertainment acting as the first lady of Mavin Records. Reports of Wande Coal’s exit from Mavin Records surfaced in 2013 after he released and promoted the single "Kilaju" without the label’s support. On 5 November 2013, he released another single, "Baby Face", which he said was produced by Shizzi. Shortly after, Don Jazzy accused Wande Coal of intellectual property theft on Twitter and uploaded a studio demo of the song that he said had been recorded the previous year. Wande Coal denied the allegations and shared what he described as the original studio version of the song on social media. In the same report, entertainment lawyer Demilade Olaosun stated that ownership of the song could not be determined publicly because Wande Coal’s recording contract was not available. Mavin Records formally announced Wande Coal's departure in a press release dated 7 November 2013, issued shortly after the public exchange between both parties. In 2013, he launched his music label Black Diamond Entertainment.

2017–2022

After a long hiatus, Wande Coal dropped his second album Wanted. Most reviews of the album placed him on a slightly above-average scale. Coal released a single Tur-Key Nla in December 2017. He kicked off his 2020 with a single track titled "Again", produced by Melvitto. An unnamed writer for Vanguard said the song proved Wande Coal still had strong vocals, calling it "a validation of [Coal's] musical prowess," and added that it brought back the feel of his early work while noting it "might not be as great as his single 'Ololufe'." He just released another Single in 2021 titled "Come My Way". In 2022, he was featured on the rapper, Olamide‘s single, Hate Me, which was released in February 2022. He also re-released his album "Mushin2Mohits".

Discography

Studio albums

• Mushin 2 Mo' Hits (2009)
• Wanted (2015)
• Legend or No Legend (2023) Compilation albums
• Curriculum Vitae (2007)
• Solar Plexus (2012) EPs
• Realms (2020)
• Best Of Both Worlds with Kel-P (2025)

Singles

As lead artist

Awards

• African Artiste of the Year – Ghana Music Awards 2010
• Artiste of the Year – 2010 Hip Hop World Awards
• Best R&b/Pop Single – 2010 Hip Hop World Awards
• Album of the Year at the Hip Hop World Awards – 2010
• Song of the Year at the Hip Hop World Awards – 2010
• Hip Hop Revelation of the Year at the Hip Hop World Awards – 2010
• Song of the Year at MTV Africa Music Award - 2016
• Best Collaboration at Nigeria Entertainment Award - 2017

References

References

1. (10 May 2013). "Wande Coal launches Black Diamond Entertainment with 'The Kick' video". Premium Times.
2. Ayomide Oriowo. (2022-10-30). "Wande Coal & EMPIRE".
3. "Wande Coal Biography, Songs, & Albums".
4. "Wande Coal - New Songs, Playlists & Latest News - BBC Music".
5. (2023-10-30). "Wande Coal Biography".
6. (2023-10-30). "Education Profile of Wande Coal".
7. (2018-11-25). "Wande Coal talks starting out as a dancer, graduating to back-up singer".
8. (9 April 2009). "Nigeria: How I Bought Pirated Copy of My Yet to Be Released Album - Wande Coal". [[Independent Nigeria.
9. Deji Osikoya. (17 December 2017). "Wande Coal’s Coming-Out Party: 10 Years After Mo Hits' Curriculum Vitae".
10. (2010-06-01). "Nigerian Artist Wande Coal Wins Big At The Hip Hop World Awards - African Vibes".
11. (2022-05-12). "VGMAs: List of Nigerian artistes that have won the Best African Act award".
12. "Wande Coal part ways with Mavin Records?". tooxclusive.
13. (7 November 2013). "Mavin announces Wande Coal's departure amidst furore over intellectual property rights". Premium Times.
14. (May 10, 2013). "Wande Coal launches Black Diamond Entertainment with 'The Kick' video". [[Premium Times]].
15. (2015-12-01). "Album Review: Wande Coal - Wanted - Tush Magazine". Tush Magazine.
16. (2020-02-06). "Listen to Wande Coal's New Single 'Again'".
17. (2020-02-24). "Music Review: Wande Coal drops impressive single, 'Again'".
18. "Wande Coal - Come My Way (Official Video)".
19. Arunaye, Newton. (2023-02-02). "Wande Coal – Kpe Paso ft. Olamide".
20. Adeyinka, Oluwamayowa. (2022-10-21). "Wande Coal Releases 'Mushin 2 Mo'Hits' Album Online 13 Years After Official Release".
21. Telegraph, New. (2023-04-22). "Wande Coal getting back into the groove with new single".
22. (2008-12-14). "Burning Up the Charts…Its Wande Coal".
23. Ogundele, Demola. (2011-12-06). "Wande Coal - Go Low + Been Long You Saw Me + Private Trips".
24. Ofugara, Ovie. (2012-10-25). "Wande Coal - Constantly (Produced by Shizzi)".
25. Abimboye, Michael. (2013-05-10). "Wande Coal launches Black Diamond Entertainment with 'The Kick' video". [[Premium Times]].
26. O, Ovie. (2013-02-14). "Wande Coal - My Way (Prod by Maleek Berry)".
27. Ibe, Chi. (2013-04-28). "It's Wande Coal with new single – Rotate [DOWNLOAD]".
28. Alonge, Osagie. (2013-11-05). "NETPod: Wande Coal drops yet another single 'Baby face'". [[The Netng.
29. Alonge, Osagie. (2014-04-06). "NETPod: Wande Coal drops yet another single 'Baby hello'". [[The Netng.
30. Tayo, Ayomide. (2014-12-23). "Wande Coal - Aye Dun feat. Skuki". Pulse Nigeria.
31. Adesida, Olumide. (2015-07-02). "Wande Coal drops new tune, 'Ashimapeyin'". [[The Netng.
32. Ozone. (2015-09-08). "VIDEO + AUDIO: Wande Coal – Same Sh!t ft. AKA".
33. Akin-Bankole, Feyikemi. (2016-11-25). "Music: Ballerz {{pipe}} Iskaba – Wande Coal".
34. Ndeche, Chidirim. (2015-09-22). "New Music: Wande Coal's "Oh No No"".
35. Akan, Joey. (2017-12-08). "Wande Coal – 'Tur-key Nla'". Pulse Nigeria.
36. Mariam. (2018-02-12). "Wande Coal and Leriq come bearing gifts this season with 'Will You Be Mine'".
37. Tambini, Kam. (2018-05-07). "You're Going to Have Wande Coal & Juls' New Track On Repeat".
38. Abimbolu, Debola. (2018-07-16). "Wande Coal turns DJ P Montana's "Tupac" into an Afropop epic".
39. Alake, Motolani. (2019-10-31). "Wande Coal features Sarz on new single, 'Vex'". Pulse Nigeria.
40. Leight, Elias. (2019-12-12). "Wande Coal Previews 'Realms' EP With Brassy 'Ode Lo Like'".
41. Durosomo, Damola. (2020-12-06). "Listen to Wande Coal's New Single 'Again'/".
42. Peter, Dennis. (2020-06-25). "NATIVE Premiere: Listen to Wande Coal's latest single, "Naughty Girl"".
43. Ngema, Zee. (2021-10-29). "Wande Coal Calls In His Blessings In New Single 'Come My Way'".
44. Hansen, Gabriel. (2022-10-28). "Nigeria: Wande Coal announces Umbrella single".
45. Okhide, Peter. (2023-02-02). "Wande Coal & Olamide Combine Forces on 'Kpe Paso'".
46. (2023-04-21). "Wande Coal drops new single 'Let them know'". [[P.M. News]].
47. Okhide, Peter. (2023-10-19). "Wande Coal and Wizkid shine in new music video for 'Ebelebe'".
48. Ghana Music Award. (2010-04-11). "Ghana Music Awards 2010 winners". Ghana Music Award.
49. Vanguard. (2010-04-30). "Hip Hop Awards: Wande Coal is Nigeria's best". Vanguard.
50. CP- africa.com. (2010-04-30). "Hip Hop Awards: Wande Coal is Nigeria's best". CP- africa.com.
51. Headies, The. (2010-10-23). "Hiphop World Awards 2010: Complete list of Nominees - The Headies".
52. (2010-05-30). "Breaking News - Wande Coal, Skuki Win Big At Hiphopworld Awards".
53. "Cool Retro - Wande Coal".